The Prism: A Laser Synth-Guitar

Step 18 Video and Audio Samples!

Bear in mind that prior to building the Prism I'd never even touched an electric guitar, so I'm very much an amateur when it comes to playing it! Most of the people who have tried out the guitar are also not guitar players and get similar results to me. However, I'm sure that in more capable hands this instrument will yield some impressive noises!

Stay tuned as I add more multimedia!

Comments

[ccowsert]

About how much in total, minus the guitar, does this cost to build? i'm interested in making one as a senior project for school. And is there somewhere i can find the parts list?

[ccowsert]

my bad, i hadn't read the comments far enough

[jeff-o]

No problem! But you may want to hold off for a week or two. I've got something coming that I think you'll want to build instead!

[renavspainatal]

News?

[jeff-o]

I totally failed to get my updated guitar ready in time for the Epilog contest. That, and I was busy building a second storey on my house. It's been finished for a while now, though I couldn't find any musicians who were willing to play around with it for more than an hour or two (somewhat disappointed about that, actually). I needed someone to film showing what it can do since I can't play myself.

[renavspainatal]

:/
I imagine how frustrating it is.
I hope you can find someone to help you so you can upload the instructable.

I think I'll wait for the next one then. =)

[gr3ml1n]

Whats the word on this alternate build?

[Max "the bassist" Pratt]

I love the project, and i'm not sure if anyone has called you out on this, but it is a bass, not a guitar, 4 strings!!!

Thats all, i would love to make one though

[jeff-o]

Well, it was made from an old bass, but what makes it a bass guitar? The length of the neck? The tuning? The number of strings? A tenor guitar only has four strings, yet it is not a bass.

Really, the Prism can be whatever guitar you need it to be... within the confines of four strings, of course. ;)

[Max "the bassist" Pratt]

well measure for me the scale length (from the two points the strings touched the bridge and nut.) If it is 34 inches, it is a bass, also it should have about 20-24 frets. Tuning does not matter, because you can tune any instrument to achieve any tone you want.

A bass guitar is just the term for an instrument with all of those qualities, and it is really just a name.

Please do note however, that you do not play "chords" in the same was as you would for a guitar. A bass is one note plucked at a time, however sometimes one can play the octave of a note at the same time as the original to achieve the correct tone.

[Max "the bassist" Pratt]

One other thing, your "victim" included standard P-Bass pickups in the hum-bucker layout, also a thumb rest below the strings. Both of these are used in basses, not guitars

[jeff-o]

Well, it definitely used to be a bass. And it used to have frets, and strings, and pickups, and a thumb rest. Is it a bass if all those have been removed? It's kind of in a gray area, I think. As far as sound is concerned, it's more like a synthesizer or theremin...

[moogbeatz99]

this is definitely interesting...

[rgrockr]

Wow, I gotta try and make one of these. You should write some music with that, watching you play made me immediately think of Tom Morello.

[jeff-o]

Wow, quite the compliment! But I suspect that's the "sync" filter at work, not my fingers!

[Articas]

You could make some sweet music with it mad skills btw sounds great

[oweng4000]

what does sync do?

[jeff-o]

"Sync" is one of the inputs on the XR2206 function generator.  In this case, it's being used in a non-conventional way to chop up the main waveform using a secondary waveform.  So what you're hearing is the guitar rapidly switching between two frequencies.

[oweng4000]

thanks. I will trying to get one of those xr2206 chips. they sound awesome.

[jeff-o]

Yep, they are pretty cool.  I used one in my "Thingamaplush" instructable as well.

[oweng4000]

I loved the baby laser. Twas every kind of win.

[jeff-o]

Yeah, she loved it.  I should build her a laser harp* to play around with!



*perhaps with LEDs instead of real lasers, in case she decides to look directly at them.

[oweng4000]

The last video reminded me of this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdC9Lph3AGw

[klogg is dead]

hmm sounded kinda like old wolfenstein 3d suunds... awesum! 

[wiillii]

for electromusic electro rythym...already remixed:D

[Mgillila25]

Awesome project, I want to try and make one for my school street band. (full credit to your design, of course.) Is it actually playable as a guitar? can you strum it in addition to playing chords?

[jeff-o]

It's more like a synthesizer at this point. The next version will move firmly into guitar territory.